Bearing



Much 17, 1931.

M. C. NIXON BEARINGS Filed May 31, 1929 H Patented Mar. 17, 1931 were MOSES C. NIXON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS BEARING My invention relates to thrust bearings Where a reversible or double acting thrust is present, particularly adaptable for use in connection with propeller blades of air and 6 water craft and the like, which are mounted so that they may be shifted on their axes to vary their pitch or reverse them, and for other purposes where there is a thrust.

Propeller blades "capable of being shifted or adjusted as described are usually operat-ively connected to a rotatable member which co-operates with a relatively non-rotatable member, the latter member being shiftable in either direction with respect to the axis of the rotatable member. In shifting the propeller blades in one direction a thrust is developed between certain co-engaging surfaces of said members and in shifting the propeller blades in the opposite direction a thrust is developed between certain other co-engaging surfaces of said members. It is one of the objects of my invention to provide means between the co-engaging surfaces aforesaid which is capable of reducing the wear between such surfaces and providing for easy operation of the mechanism.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of one form of means for shifting the pitch of propeller blades and embodying the principles of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view of certain parts taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4: is a detailed sectional View taken on the line l4 of Fig. 2.

My invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing in connection with aeroplane propeller apparatus of the type described and claimed in my Patent No. 1,661,632, issued March 6,

In the drawings similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different views, and referring to the same, 7 indicates the motor drive shaft on which the reversible propeller hub 8 is mounted. Said hub carries an incasement 9, in which the hubs of the propeller blades are mounted, and in connection with the cylindrical form 9 encloses the different parts. 10 indicates one of the propeller blade hubs, which is adapted to turn in suitable bearings, not shown herein, but fully described in my patent mentioned above. One of the propeller blades 11, is shown in the drawing in dotted lines. Segments 12 and 13 are rigidly secured to the respective hubs of the propeller blades and in turn connected by links 14 and 15 with a disc like member 16 mounted to slide longitudinally on the hub 8, and is forced to revolve therewith by a key 17 secured to the member 16 and adapted to slide in key-Way 18. The arrangement is such that the parts 7 to 18 just described rotate with the motor shaft as a unit. It will be understood that upon sliding the member 16 on the hub 8 toward the right or forwardly, the pitch of the propeller blades will be varied or changed in one direction, while if the member 16 is moved rearwardly or to the left the pitch of the propeller blades will be changed in the ther direction. 8

In order to effect sliding movement of the member 16 on the hub 8 a relatively non-rotatable member 19 is provided which is con nected with suitable operating mechanism comprising rods 20 connected with a crosshead 21 movable forwardly and rearwardly by a screw 22 operated by a crank 3.

As clearly shown in Fig. 8 the member 16 comprises the parts 16a and 166 secured as a unit by screws 24:. The parts 16a and 16?) are formed so as to provide circumferentially extending groove, which is adapted to receive a circumferentially inwardly extending rib or tongue 25a, which is carried by the member 19.

in order to prevent excessive friction and wear between the co-engaging parts and to provide for easy turning of the member 16 with respect to the member 19, I have provided antifriction means, for example, ball bearings 26, in race-ways 27 and 28 formed in the opposite sides of the rib 25a and partly in the adjacent surfaces of the parts 16a and 16?). To prevent excessive wear of the raceways in case non-hardening metal is used in the parts 160, 16?) and rib 25a, linings 29 have been pr vided, which may be of tempered steel and inserted into race-ways 27 and 28.

As clearly shown in Fig. 4, oil may be l11-' troduced into the race-ways 27 and 28 through opening 30, connected with said race-ways by passage-ways 31 and 82 leading to open ings 29 between the linin 's 29. If desired an oil cup 3%) may be threaded into the opening 30.

It will now be apparent to those skilled art that upon turning the crank 23 so as to move the iember 19 forwardly the bearing 27 wili come into operation and provide for turning of the part 16?) with respect to the rib a. "it will also be obvious that upon turnin the crank in the other direction so as to move the member 19 rearwardly, the bearing 28 will come into play and provide for easy turning of the part 16a relative to the rib 25a.

While one preferred embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, I do not wish to be limited to the details shown as it is obvious that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A unit-handled thrust bearing comprising a rotatable member, a relatively nonrotatable member adapted to be moved in unison in either direction relative to the axis of rotation of said rotatable member, the said two members reciprocably mounted and provided with opposed raceways, the said raceways being disposed out of axial alignment with each other, and anti-friction means disposed in said raceways.

2. A unit-handled bearing comprising a rotatable member adapted to slide longitudinally upon a hub, a relatively non-rotatable member, the rotatable member being formed with a circumferential groove and the other member formed with a circumferentially disposed rib received in said groove, and antifriction members interposed between telescoped portions of the said members, said rotatable and non-rotatable members being mounted for free reciprocation in unison.

3. A unit-handled thrust bearing embodying members mounted for reciprocation in unison and comprising a rotatable member adapted to slide longitudinally upon a hub and a non-rotatable member also freely slidable with the first-named member, the rotatable member being formed to provide a circumferential groove, and the other member being formed with a circumferentially disposed rib received in said groove, and antifriction members interposed between telescopic portions of the said members, said anti-friction members being disposed in offset relation to the circumferential interengaged parts of the said members.

4:. A unit handled bearing comprising a rotatable member adapted to slide freely upon a hub, a relatively non-rotatable member, the rotatable member being formed to provide a circumferential groove, and the other member being formed with a circumferentiallydisposed rib received in said groove, and antifriction members disposed between the telescopic portions of the said members, and said anti-friction members being disposed in offset relation to the circumferential interenparts of the said members and contactmg vith both the rotatable and non-rotatable members at different distances from the axial center of the bearing, and means for reciprocating the bearing.

MOSES C. NIXON, 

